Your 5th grade son didn’t make the “A” soccer team this spring, and you’re furious because he’s been a really good player ever since he started playing in kindergarten, and he was on the A team last year! You’re thinking, “There is definitely something wrong with this new coach. Assigning my kid to the B …
One Way Teachers (and Parents) promote Irresponsible Behavior
It’s the last week of the grading quarter and suddenly there’s an onslaught of students who have just now realized their grade isn’t what they want it to be. “Can I do extra credit?” “Can I do extra credit?” “Can I do extra credit?” The teacher looks at all the remaining papers that must be …
Continue reading One Way Teachers (and Parents) promote Irresponsible Behavior
Natural Consequences, Logical Consequences, Punishment – Which should we use?
One of my very good friends, Meg, invited three of us over for lunch. Then she explained to her four children that she’d be making their lunch at noon, and she expected them home from their friends’ houses on time because her friends were coming at 1:00. She even further explained that if the children …
Continue reading Natural Consequences, Logical Consequences, Punishment – Which should we use?
Parents and teachers ask “What’s the difference between Punishment and Consequences?”
Two Kinds of Consequences and Punishment: Natural Consequence – something that would “naturally” occur as a result from the person’s behavior or choice. An example might be getting a zero on a test if the student missed it as a result of an unexcused lateness or absence. Logical Consequence – Something that would be a …
“When should I begin teaching my child to become responsible?”
Ideally, we begin the teaching with little “pre-lessons” when our children are bitsies. We talk to them as we do our daily activities: washing dishes, making the bed, going shopping etc., telling them what we’re doing and why (when we give the reasons we’re doing a task, we’re helping our children make connections and see …
Continue reading “When should I begin teaching my child to become responsible?”
The Importance of Spending Time in Teaching Kids HOW To Do a Task Rather Than Doing It For Them.
As kids learn to take responsibility for age appropriate tasks, they are also learning to feel capable and confident (which in turn increases learning ability). This was strongly reinforced for me this week as I was observing a just -3 –year- old picking up her crayons and coloring book and putting them back on their …
The Magic of Accentuating the Positive
Two Stories – although both happened between a teacher and student, the process applies just as strongly between a parent and child. Kent was a sophomore in my English class and after the first few weeks of school, I was convinced that he was an obnoxious, sneaky, callous, arrogant boy. He sported that nasty little …
Could my child or my student’s “troublesome” behavior be caused by a problem with his vision?
Have you noticed your child (or student) becoming frustrated easily – especially when she’s doing something that requires visual concentration – like homework or reading? Or maybe he tries to avoid reading by fidgeting with everything on the desk or by clowning around or even by yawning and becoming “too tired to work”? …
An Important Message For Teachers and Parents
Christine was a junior in my American Literature class. From the beginning, she didn’t follow directions, often messing up assignments and/or not doing the whole assignment. When I talked with her privately, she would assure me she understood the assignments and then continue turning in work with all kinds of “careless” mistakes. I asked other …
Continue reading An Important Message For Teachers and Parents
Two Steps Parents Can take to Help Their Children Learn
Is your child struggling in school, even failing? Most things you read tell you how to help your child set goals, do more homework, work with the teacher, set rewards, take away privileges, get tutoring, organize her life, go to summer school, and so on. You’ve probably already tried most of these things, and some …
Continue reading Two Steps Parents Can take to Help Their Children Learn
Creating Responsible Kids 